Lights, Camera, Orc-tion!

34: A Suggestion

Concerned whispers started to waft up from the audience. The sounds of boots, hurriedly tromping toward their location, sounded an uneasy staccato in the background. A flare of heat licked down Kahdreg's back, before Kallinaera's echo died away. He rounded on the siren, leveling a glare at her as he snarled, "Kallinaera, stop!"

The siren's foot paused, mid-step, as she stared wide-eyed at the orc. Even the security officers, who had arrived and begun marching up the aisles, froze. Apprehension crawled down Kahdreg's back, but a deep burning rage steeled his resolve. It was the first time he'd ever raised his voice to her. At least in anger. And his rage was blatantly painted across his face.

"No, it's fine. Let her." It was only when Avicia spoke again, her words coming out crisp and clear, that Kahdreg realized she was miked. She hadn't moved from her spot and her eyes hadn't left Kallinaera, even though she was talking to Kahdreg. In fact, she seemed to stand taller, with her hands on her hips and a fresh dose of resolve in her bones. Avicia's words brought a startled glance from the siren, but Avicia's gaze only hardened further. "But if I'm forcibly removed from this stage, the story from what happened on the yacht will go live."

A rush of curiosity seeped into the air as the whispers among the audience grew.

"What?" Kallinaera paled slightly, floundering like a displaced fish on land. Her hand clenched tighter at the stair's railing, until her knuckles whitened. "You've got no proof- that was ages- there's nothing to tell!"

"Wanna bet?" An uncharacteristically cold smile, lacking in humor and kindness, curled across Avicia's lips. Lifting a hand from her hip, Avicia motioned toward a familiar-looking goblin, dressed in a catering uniform. "Grift has plenty of eyewitness accounts and security footage."

"Grift? Grift Zeedirk?" A peal of haughty laughter suddenly spilled from Kallinaera. The tension in her shoulders melted away. "Oh, sweetie, Grift is my darling friend! They'd never-"

Avicia wasn't sure if it was her own knowing smirk or the giddy bounce in Grift's trot that forced Kallinaera's words to dwindle. All the same, it felt good to see. As the goblin closed the distance between themself and the siren, standing at the base of the stage's stairs, Kallinaera couldn't keep the edge of pleading from her voice, "Grift, darling?"

"Sorry, sweets," chortled Grift, their large pointed green ears tilting upward. Their grin split wide across their lips, showing off their rows of pointy teeth. They winked and finger-gunned at the siren, seemingly unaware of the tension in the air. "Nothing personal, just business. And seedy drama is my business."

Despite the security members awkwardly standing at the very edges of the aisles, Grift took out their phone. Right there, in the middle of the theater, they were blatantly recording the entire situation. Giddily! The siren brusquely turned away from the betrayal and resumed climbing up to the stage.

One ally lost, Kallinaera turned wide and angry eyes on Kahdreg once she crested the stairs. She was losing grip on the situation, lost among once-friends-and-now-possible-enemies. Kahdreg wouldn't disappoint her, though. She was sure of it. ...almost.

With her heels thumping across the wood, she tried to pitch her voice low as she hissed, "Are you going to let her ruin us like this?!"

It didn't matter how quietly Kallinaera said the words, the microphone picked them up. Between her tone and her expression, painted across the large backdrop so even those in the furthest seats could see the drama, everyone could see her fury and discountenance..

For a strung out beat, Kahdreg and Kallinaera stared at each other. His eyebrows dipped into a 'v' as realizations slid into place. This whole situation was twisting the siren's arm, giving Avicia a chance to say or do what she needed to while forcing Kallinaera to allow it. And he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to hear what Avicia had to say.